A gazebo may or may not be built at Green’s Park.
The Village of Lake Orion’s Parks and Recreation Committee wants to seek proposals for building a 12 foot gazebo. Members of Main Street’s Design Committee thinks a picnic pavilion might be better suited for the park on M-24.
Lisa Simpkins, a member of the parks and recreation committee, asked, but was turned down, to seek proposals at the village council meeting on April 12. She said the gazebo would be replacing a similar structure that was in the park, but at a slightly different spot.
‘You don’t need a gazebo if you have a picnic pavilion, ‘councilman Bob Hollenbeck said. He’s also the chairman of the design committee.
‘And we feel there should be no structure (built) until a stake survey is done,? he added.
Village officials received some criticism from residents a few years ago about the placement of the gazebo in Children’s Park on South Broadway. At that time, a stake survey wasn’t done.
According to LO Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel, there’s some misconception about the survey. There’s been some talk of doing a right-of-way survey along M-24 between Atwater and Flint Street, one that has nothing to do with Green’s Park.
? The Main Street committee haven’t prepared any plans to do a study. I don’t deny there’s a need to have a plan/survey for Green’s Park, but that’s a separate issue,? Van Tassel said. ‘We need these two groups to work together.?
Downtown Lake Orion Coordinator Becky Goodman, who works with the design committee, said the two committees have been at each other’s meetings.
‘The design committee offers input on form and style. The general look of the park is what the design committee is trained to do. The Master Plan for parks and rec is a just concept plan,? she added.
According to council member Charlotte Patton, who’s also on the parks and recreation committee, the two committees are getting closer to working together.
‘We wanted minutes to go back and forth; that would be helpful. The council needs to step back and not undermine what the committee (parks and recreation) wants to do,? she added.
A Master Plan for village parks was adopted in 2001. It will need to be updated in 2005.
‘We’re seeing the same problems, same arguments,? councilman Tom Albert said. ‘This group (parks and rec) is going to think ‘what’s the use.? They’ve just been following the Master Plan.?
‘Since its creation (Master Plan), there’s been further intensity of the importance of Green’s Park. It’s our pride and joy. We should be looking at a total plan for the park instead of finishing up the Master Plan.? councilman Harry Stephen said.
Council members agreed now wasn’t the time to go out for bids on the gazebo.